Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bicycling

Cyclist Dies of Injuries from Central Park Crash

7:18 AM EDT on August 29, 2019

Runners, cyclists, a dog and a tractor trailer! A great combo.

The cyclist who cops say lost control of his e-bike after making contact with a pedestrian at a crowded Central Park intersection has died of his injuries.

Charles Cheeseboro, 43, of Harlem, died Wednesday, two days after the 3:20 p.m. crash — about which few details are known.

Cops said only that they found Cheeseboro unconscious in the East Drive near 74th Street near a 77-year old pedestrian who had an unspecified minor injury. A preliminary investigation revealed that the cyclist had struck the pedestrian, lost control of his bike, and tumbled to the ground, striking his head.

He was taken to New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he died.

Cheeseboro would be the 20th cyclist to die in New York so far this year — up from 10 all of last year — though it is unlikely that the NYPD will classify his death that way. The agency considers e-bike riders as motorcyclists in its crash statistics.

The area of the park where Cheeseboro suffered his fatal injuries is a notorious point of conflict among cyclists and pedestrians — and the many car drivers who still roll through the supposedly “car-free” greensward. City officials say cars and trucks are still allowed on Central Park roadways to make deliveries or to conduct official business, yet Streetsblog frequently spots cars that do not meet that description.

Signage in the park — including “Cars Only” paint marking — is still designed towards the automobile, despite the putative ban in June 2018.

This is a breaking story. 

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Pols Detail ‘Road Map’ For Safe Streets in Western Queens

A group of western Queens lawmakers released a plan for street safety projects they want to see before 2030.

November 28, 2023

Tuesday’s Headlines: Restorative (Traffic) Justice Edition

Two stories highlighted a restorative justice program that allows traffic crash victims and perpetrators the chance to meet face-to-face. Plus more news.

November 28, 2023

Top NJ Lawmaker Proposes Major Reforms to Fight Temporary License Plate Fraud

The new legislation follows a seven-month Streetsblog investigation that found widespread fraud involving temp tags, with car dealers abusing weak state regulations and selling paper plates illegally to drivers using them to evade accountability on the road.

November 28, 2023

Fed Panel Wants to Confront the Role of Aggressive Auto Advertising in U.S. Road Deaths

A horrific car crash has federal safety officials calling for systematic responses to traffic violence — including the aggressive car ads that may inspire motorists to hit the gas.

November 28, 2023

A ‘Giving Tuesday’ Streetsblog Primer

Before we ask for your donation, let us prove to you that we're worthy of it!

November 28, 2023
See all posts